estimated by, Bentivoglio at eight hundred. Bentivoglio, who was on the
spot, being then nuncius at Brussels, ought to have been able to count
them, yet it is very certain that the number was grossly exaggerated.

At any rate the usual assembly at the Hague rarely amounted to one
hundred members. The presidency was changed once a week, the envoy of
each province taking his turn as chairman.

Olden-Barneveld, as member for Holland, was always present in the diet.
As Advocate-General of the leading province, and keeper of its great
seal, more especially as possessor of the governing intellect of the
whole commonwealth, be led the administration of Holland, and as the
estates of Holland contributed more than half of the whole budget of
the confederacy, it was a natural consequence of the actual supremacy of
that province, and of the vast legal hand political experience of the
Advocate, that Holland should, govern the confederacy, and that Barneveld
should govern Holland.

The States-General remained virtually supreme, receiving envoys from all
the great powers, sending abroad their diplomatic representatives, to
whom the title and rank of ambassador was freely accorded, and dealing
in a decorous and dignified way with all European affairs. The ability
of the republican statesmen was as fully recognised all over the earth,
as was the genius of their generals and great naval commanders.

The People did not exist; but this was merely because, in theory, the
People had not been invented. It was exactly because there was a People
--an energetic and intelligent People--that the republic was possible.

No scheme had yet been devised for laying down in primary assemblies